Old Fort Park and Golf Course

Old Fort Park

The site was originally private farmland, purchased by the City of Murfreesboro in 1965 and dedicated as a park on October 29, 1977. The 50-acre park includes three picnic shelters, two playgrounds, two baseball fields, eight tennis courts, and open green areas.

In 2010, a $330,000 restoration project began to improve waterways and preserve natural spaces. A $3.7 million indoor tennis facility, a joint venture with Middle Tennessee State University, broke ground in October 2013 and added eight courts for public use and the Blue Raider tennis programs. The main playground, Kids' Castle, was built in 1995 over the original playground site, rebuilt in 2012 with synthetic materials at a cost of $300,000, partly funded by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

Fortress Rosecrans

Fortress Rosecrans is a large earthwork fortification built in 1863 under Union General James Morton, named for William Rosecrans, commander of the Army of the Cumberland. It was the largest fort built during the American Civil War, covering 255 acres with a perimeter of 3.5 miles. Constructed after the Battle of Stones River, it originally contained eight lunettes, four redoubts, a sawmill, magazines, and soldier barracks. Situated on the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad and two major roads, it served as a Union logistical center.

By June 12, 1863, the garrison numbered 2,394 men; by October, the 22nd Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment was stationed there. Built by 4,000 laborers including many African Americans, the walls averaged 10 to 15 feet in height and 25 feet thick at the base, made of compacted earth with wooden planks, fronted by a 10-foot ditch filled with abatis. The fortress was never directly attacked. Of the four interior redoubts, only Redoubt Brannan survives, located outside the park boundaries.

The remaining earthworks lie between the tennis courts and the golf course, with interpretive trails and boardwalks featuring construction facts, quotes, and diagrams.

Golf course

The Old Fort Golf Club, a municipal course opened in 1985, was shaped by architects Leon Howard and Denis Griffiths. Its 18 holes stretch 6,859 yards, playing to a par of 72 with a 72.8 course rating and a 125 slope rating.

On-site amenities include two 8,000-square-foot putting and chipping greens plus a clubhouse. The facility offers classes for juniors, beginners, and intermediate players, as well as private lessons from a PGA professional. Three active groups—the Men’s Golf Association, Ladies’ Golf Association, and Senior League—round out the club’s community.